Redefining normal. — Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are becoming more common in educational institutions. McKinsey & Company refers to DEI as the inclusion and fair treatment of all people regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, physical ability, and neurodiversity. Research has shown that employees are more engaged when they feel a sense…

Insights from Educate, 21st Education — Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated biweekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education. On the heels of Critical Race Theory, which is still being debated across the country, comes a discussion of how to address the January 6th insurrection with students. MPR News writes…

Insights from Educate, 20th Edition — Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated biweekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education. I have watched in dismay as districts around the country have begun to dismantle gifted programs in attempts to provide “accelerated learning” for all students. There is no question that the…

Insights from Educate, 19th Edition — Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated biweekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education. Whew! It has been a year. Well, it’s been two years, really. We now use Zoom as a verb and have realized the extent of our digital inequalities. Teachers that were…

Insights from Educate, 18th Edition — Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated weekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education. You did it! The end of the school year is nigh. The school year for my children started remotely and moved to brick-and-mortar in September. I understand how fortunate we were…

Insights from Educate, 17th Edition — Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated weekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education. My newsfeed has been filled to the brim with updates regarding initiatives to ban critical race theory in schools across the U.S. Adrian Florida at NPR notes that at least six Republican legislatures have advanced, or are planning to advance, bills that will effectively end the race conversation with our…

Insights from Educate, 16th Edition — Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated weekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education. I am sure many of you were just as appalled as I was when this video was released of a Florida principal paddling a young child, while her mother secretly filmed it no less. Using a paddle to discipline a student is referred to as corporal punishment and is surprisingly…

Insights from Educate, 15th Edition — Welcome to Insights from Educate, a curated weekly newsletter of professional learning and inspiration from authentic voices in education. Consider these stats: middle-class families spend 14% of their income on childcare while lower-income families spend upwards of 35%. To be honest, this seems a little low. My husband and I are both teachers, and when our children were young, we struggled to pay for daycare while we worked. So…

Insights from Educate, 14th Edition — Welcome to Insights from Educate, the 14th edition of a curated weekly newsletter focused on providing you the latest in education news, research, and professional learning. As a new teacher, I made the rookie mistake of grading every task I assigned to my students. Grading student work became a form…